The Malta Employers' Association said today that many employers are frustrated with the manner in which budget measures are being launched without regard for the mechanics involved in their implementation. A recent example is the regulations on the employment of disabled persons which are fraught with legal loopholes that will make adherence and enforcement impossible as there are still a lot of unanswered questions, the MEA said in a statement.

Another case is the changes in payment for maternity leave. Although many employers have agreed in principle about the setting up of the fund to reimburse maternity leave payments, they are unable to make the necessary changes to their payroll systems to start making payments in August. Clearly companies need more time - at least an additional month - to adjust their payroll software. The legal notice should also have been issued before, or concurrently with the launch. To date this is still not available.

All these problems would have been avoided if there was adequate consultation with employer bodies before these measures were announced. The MEA said that it is hoped that during the upcoming pre- budget meetings at the MCESD, there will be adequate time and opportunity to discuss openly any planned measures to ensure a smooth implementation.